Paperback Hero
by Precious Pup
Summary: Written as a Secret Santa gift for Smackalicious. McGiva. Ziva has a secret pleasure that no one must know. Spoilers through until end of Season Five. One shot


Ziva flicked her eyes to the side and checked that the coast was clear before slowly sliding her hand down and abandoning herself to her secret pleasure.

Her book.

It had arrived today. She had carefully removed the dust jacket and replaced it with her faithful "Cold War Politics of the Ukraine" cover which was dark, boring and depressingly intense.

Ziva was always careful. No one knew that she took secret pleasure in reading tawdry romances, and not just the plot driven or chick lit versions either. No what Ziva really enjoyed was a real bodice ripper where a handsome dashing hero rescues a damaged beautiful maiden….well classically after some weeks of misunderstandings anyway. Harlequin Romances, Mills and Boon she had read them all.

She had never told a soul and she was always careful. She ordered her books on line so no one would see her purchase them or even look at that section of the bookstore. She also ordered them in French so that if Tony or someone glanced over her shoulder they wouldn't know what she was reading. She also made sure that she ordered the large print hard cover version so it didn't look like a cheap paperback and then she replaced the dust cover. Unless you really looked and understood French there was no way for anyone to tell what exactly Ziva was reading.

And Ziva liked it that way.

She had so little opportunity to escape the intensity of her life that when she finally did get a free moment she wanted to escape into passionate men, impossible situations and wild embraces overcoming all obstacles.

If anyone knew she read these sorts of books she would have to kill them.

Literally.

The never ending teasing and jokes would begin but more than that a tiny crack in her armor would be revealed showing the vulnerable soft flesh and blood Ziva beneath.

Because this was Ziva's true secret.

Underneath the assassin still lay the heart of Daddy's little princess who yearned to be loved and fought for by someone who would move mountains to reach her. Ziva wanted to loose herself in a world where gallant men swept their loves up into their broad arms with passion and desire instead of breaking into locked filing cabinets to intrude into her life and openly denying any real desire to know how she felt about them.

Ziva's eyes darted around her once again, checking carefully before relaxing down into the lounge chair, her hand propping up her head as she lounged in the sun by the pool.

Finally. When Jenny had sent her and Tony away after the funeral she had rejoiced at a few hours free time. And not just any free time but in the warm sun during the day wearing a bikini sort of free time. Ziva reached out carefully and sipped on her tropical sparkling non alcoholic fruit punch. Well she was still technically on duty.

_He was angry but he was silent, with his big green eyes blazing and his jaw clenched tight as he stared at her as she struggled with the wood for the fire. She lifted her head insolently. How dare he insist she remain inside and freeze to death until he returned? She wasn't a weakling. She was the daughter of the Count!_

_She tried not to take secret pleasure in the way his eyes roved over her torn skirt and still bandaged arm. He stood several feet away and yet it felt like she burned beneath his touch. No she couldn't succumb to his charms! No matter how much she yearned for the tall clever Bandit Captain to take her into his arms and kiss her fiercely with his soft full lips she must resist or bring shame upon her family._

"_Why won't you let me look after you?" His voice was angry but she didn't miss the flash of hurt that crossed his expressive green eyes._

"_You hold me captive Captain. I am your prisoner. If you wish to have me well looked after you should release me to my fathers guards who I know already search these hills for me" _

_It was easy to slip back into her pride then to fight her vulnerability as they faced each other._

_The Captain growled at her. "You know nothing of your father. You are a fool! No you must do as I say. And if I cannot trust you to follow simple instructions then you will truly be my prisoner!"_

_The Bandit Captain swept forward and gathered her up in his strong arms and for an instant her heart leapt and she gasped ….before he tossed her carelessly over his shoulder and took her inside the tiny mountain cabin._

"_No…no what are you doing?" She struggled and wept as she realized how helpless she was against his strength as he tied her wrists to the corner of the bed as she writhed._

"_You betrayed my trust and put not only yourself but all of my men in danger. You will stay there until you can learn some respect."_

"_Respect!" She found herself shrieking in rage and she felt herself boil over with hatred for this despicable man._

"_Yes respect."_

_His voice was soft now and dangerously seductive as he crouched down and leaned in close to her. Suddenly his hand was behind her head, tangled in her thick dark curls and he pulled her close and kissed her passionately. She found herself kissing him back wantonly in response to his fierce desire. Suddenly he released her with a smirk that burned her to her core and then with a wink he stood, turned on his heel and left._

"_I HATE you!" She screamed at the closing door as she writhed in shame and humiliation._

"What cha doing Ziva?" A familiar voice asked.

Ziva almost hissed and closed her book from prying eyes.

"Reading Tony"

"Reading? Come on Ziva. Come for a drive with me. See the sights of La La Land"

Ziva knew she would get no peace to read now that Tony knew where she was. She sighed and resigned herself to yet another DiNozzo plan. Her book and the dashing Bandit Captain would have to wait.

*******************************************************************

Ziva sighed and sunk further into her scented bath letting the warm water wash away the roadhouse grit that still seemed to aggravate her silky skin. She rested her red and itching eyes for a moment before reaching for the glass of wine at the side of the tub.

Jenny.

In the end Jenny had no mighty knight on a white steed to defend her in her hour of need. There had been no harsh steely eyed hero who swept in at the last minute to declare his undying love.

Well she had Franks. And it just wasn't the same.

There was little beauty in dieing riddled with bullets in an abandoned diner. To come across her so soon and yet so definitely too late was almost too much. Her warm red blood had still been spreading across the dusty floor. It still pained Ziva that Jenny hadn't trusted her with her final secret and so her last contact with her friend had been a terse phone call ended with a snap.

Ziva had already mourned her friend and had cried herself dry in the privacy of her bedroom away from prying eyes. Now she needed to escape. She needed to find someway that she could relax enough that she could sleep and face what she must tomorrow.

The funeral.

Ziva sniffed, rapidly blinked back the tears and picked up her book.

_She shook her head. "No I cannot promise you that I will not try to escape."_

_The Captain shook his head at her. "Then there you must remain"_

_Everyday it was the same thing. He would ask for her promise which she refused to give. And then he would feed her breakfast from his own hand. He would bring water and a sponge and carefully wash her face, arms and feet. He would even tenderly brush her hair. She did not know now if she truly refused him because she was keeping her honor and she would take the chance to escape or if she refused simply to force him into contact with her._

_She watched as his long fingered clever hands tenderly washed her bare ragged feet, slowly gently pushing up the edges of her ruffled skirts slightly higher every morning exposing her tender flesh to his hungry eyes. It thrilled her that he seemed so helpless even while she remained his bound captive._

_He wanted her and she knew it._

Ziva sighed and shivered as she considered a lovers hands sliding up her trim calves teasing her with their light fingered touch. She closed her eyes and leaned back and imagined the soft tender strokes of a brush through her thick hair interspersed with soft kisses down her exposed neck. The scent of familiar cologne just out of reach. The comfort of strong arms to hold her through the night as she wept.

Ziva let the book fall from her hands to the floor and let the fresh tears run down her face as she sat huddled and alone in the rapidly cooling water.

******************************************************************

The plane still had half an hour before it landed back in Washington. Home.

Ziva felt a thrill that after months she would be returning to NCIS and the team. Her team. Her family.

It had been so long. She had thrown herself into her work to the point where she hadn't had time to think about her loneliness or her pain. Long days and endless nights where the last thing she had thought of was her tender but wild Bandit Captain. But now that was over and she was coming home.

Ziva smiled and felt a thrill run through her. Soon everything would be right again. She settled back deeper into the tiny air plane seat and continued with her book….the "Cold War Politics of the Ukraine"

_She ran from her fathers men. Why hadn't she believed him when he had told her of her father's wickedness? Everything he had said was true. It had been her father all along. It had been her father's soldiers who burnt down the village and her father who had arranged to sell her to Lord Harkness._

_And now she was truly lost._

_She ran through the forest until her heart felt like it would burst and still she could hear them coming. The bracken and brushes scratched and clawed at her as she struggled to escape._

_And then she saw him. He came like avenging thunder on his mighty steel shod stead galloping over the crest of the hill. He no longer wore the battered leather surcoat of the Bandit Captain but he brandished his glittering shield which showed his true identity in its shining family crest. _

_Her knight had come for her. _

"_Are you hurt?'_

"_No. You saved me just in time" She panted breathlessly as he pulled her up beside him_

_He smiled with the brightness of the sun and pulled her into his arms and kissed her as his men poured down the hill with their banners waiving and swords glittering._

_She thought her heart would burst from sheer joy………._

"Please place your seats in an upright position and stow any luggage in the overhead compartments ready for descent. On landing the time in Washington will be 2.15pm"

******************************************************************

Jenny. Alone in a diner.

The hail of gunfire continued and Ziva knew she was cornered. She checked her weapon and assessed her position. She wouldn't have long. Would it be enough?

"Ziva Get in!"

Tim shouted at her as suddenly the Porsche in a screech of tires swerved around the corner of the warehouse and slid to a stop in front of her. She lay down some covering fire across the bonnet and then leapt into the front seat. Suddenly she was pushed back into the seat by the force of acceleration as the precision vehicle leapt forward. The car hurtled through the broken gates and swerved out onto the road in a hail of loose stones.

"Are you alright Ziva?"

Tim turned to her, a deep graze on the side of his face trickling warm blood and his beautiful green eyes determined.

Ziva nodded breathless "Yes…yes I'm ok"

Tim suddenly reached for her running his hand over her legs and arms even as he drove reassuring himself that she was unharmed.

Ziva smiled still breathless as she turned to look at her own Bandit Capitan, the light catching on the shining gold shield on his belt.

"I'm ok …….really. You saved me just in time."

Tim smiled at her and thought his heart might burst from sheer joy.

_(A sort of story within a story that was written as a Secret Santa gift for Smackalicious. Precious)_


End file.
